SOLUTION: A rectangular parking lot covers an area of 1150 square feet. It is 20 feet longer than it is wide. An equation appropriate for finding the dimensions of the lot is:

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Question 750867: A rectangular parking lot covers an area of 1150 square feet. It is 20 feet longer than it is wide. An equation appropriate for finding the dimensions of the lot is:
Answer by FrankM(1040) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We can solve this with just one variable.
The short side is X, the long side is X+20
(X)(X+20)=1150

The quadratic solver yields

Solved by pluggable solver: Quadratic Formula

Let's use the quadratic formula to solve for x:

Starting with the general quadratic

the general solution using the quadratic equation is:

So lets solve ( notice , , and )

Plug in a=1, b=20, and c=-1150

Square 20 to get 400

Multiply to get

Combine like terms in the radicand (everything under the square root)

Simplify the square root (note: If you need help with simplifying the square root, check out this solver)

Multiply 2 and 1 to get 2

So now the expression breaks down into two parts

or

Now break up the fraction

or

Simplify

or

So the solutions are:

or

And the first answer is positive. The second side is 20 feet longer.